There's No Place Like Home
by Tandy
Summary: Mary Margaret has a talk with Emma. "Don't be a ninny, Emma. You tell him you love him. You tell him you've missed him. Then you kiss him. That's the way it usually goes."


Emma was sitting on the bar at Granny's shifting her scrambled eggs to and fro. With Zelena defeated, the town had gone back to normal. Or as normal as Storybrook could be. They had all survived their foray into the Echanted Forest unscathed, and everything was as it should be. Henry had gotten his memories back, her parents had welcomed a baby girl, and Regina was shacking up with Robin. Things couldn't be more perfect. Another swish of the eggs, a deep sigh, a sip of her coffee. Yes, life was peachy.

Mary Margaret plopped herself next to her, dropping a large paper bag on the floor. "Hi sweetie."

"Hi."

Her mom smiled, that sweet soft understanding smile, laying a hand on her arm. "Emma."

"Not now." Emma frowned at her mother, not knowing what had prompted the speech that was coming next. Emma knew Mary Margaret well enough to know that she was about to launch into a full fledge speech about love and hope and happiness. Emma was in no mood.

Mary Margaret cocked her head to the side, the smile turning sad. "I'm your mother. I know when you're hurting. Your dad and I have been talking, and as hard as it is to believe, we know why you've been moping."

"I haven't been moping. I've been busy, cleaning up after the witch, taking lessons with Regina, plus my job as sheriff."

"It's Hook."

Emma stiffened. She pushed her plate away and signaled Ruby for the check. "Don't be ridiculous, Mary Margaret."

"I wanted a prince for you," her mother said, tearing up. "I don't mean a real prince, just a man who was honorable and good and kind. A knight in shining armor, if you will. A wonderful wonderful man that would make you so happy."

Emma rubbed her face tiredly. "What-"

"Shush. I'm not done," Mary Margaret swallowed hard. "I didn't want to see it. Didn't want to believe it. He's coarse and vulgar and he has a darkness to him that I don't want anywhere near you. I was glad he stayed." Mary Margaret face lost the battle, and crumbled in to tears.

"Mom." Emma wrapped her arm around her mother. "Don't cry."

Her mother could be so fragile sometimes. Emma didn't know how she had managed to remain that innocent, that untouched by the horrors she had been put through. Emma had learned to protect herself and her feelings, her mother never had.

"I was so glad he stayed. I'm sorry Emma. I didn't know." Mary Margaret took both her hands to frame Emma's face. "I didn't know you love him. I should have seen it. I should have encouraged you to fight for your love, for your happy ending. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It was for the best."

"For the best? I see your heartbreak Emma. When you hurt I hurt. At first I thought it was just the stress of the battle, that maybe you were adjusting again to being here with us, with sharing Henry. You're good at hiding your feelings, but I'm your Mom. I know. You're father knows."

"It'll go away. It always does. I wont' feel like this forever."

"It'll fade, but you know it really never goes away, Emma."

"He left me, Mom. What is there to do but try to forget and move on?"

"He didn't leave you, Emma. You left him."

Emma turned to look at her mom in disbelief, feeling betrayed.

"You did, sweetie. He followed you around like a puppy, completely besotted, only to be rebuffed again and again. Yet, he still stayed until the end. Risking his life over and over for you and Henry."

"He left Henry too." That hurt too, maybe even more, thought it was hard to tell because his departure hurt so damn much all the time. Hook had burrowed himself into Henry's life, into hers. Now there was emptiness inside of her. A hole in her heart.

Once the curse had been broken, she had expected him to return to normal. He'd been too scared before, because of his curse, to get too close to her. But afterwards, he had remained distant toward her. Truth be told, she had expected him to come running to her the second the cruse broke, and kiss her senseless. He hadn't. Instead he had quietly told her he was staying in the Enchanted Forest.

"One word, Emma. It would have taken one word from you to get him to come back with us."

"He made his choice. Maybe his feelings for me weren't as deep as he first thought." She had believed him when he had looked at her with his heart in his eyes, telling her without words that he loved her. She had come to depend on him, to trust him with her son's life, only to have him confirm her worst fears.

"Liar. You were scared. You didn't think he would change his whole existence for you. You don't think you're worth it. But you are, Emma. Your dad and I, we're here because of you. You think we don't miss our home? But we'd rather be here, with you."

Emma's eyes widened at the confession. "I didn't know."

"We didn't want you to feel guilty. But we should have told you, if only to show you how much we love you."

"If Hook felt the same way, then he should have come back. Obviously, he didn't, otherwise he would be here, pestering me endlessly."

"Hook thinks you deserve better than him." Mary Margaret looked down. "The kissing curse, the Ariel story coming out, it did a number on Hook. He was ashamed. Even more son when you found out. It made him lose hope."

"How do you know this?" Her heart sped up, her mother's words shining light of Hook's behavior.

"Your father and Hook developed quite a friendship it seems. Hook has a staunch supporter in your dad." Mary Margaret smiled wryly. "He's not the man I wanted for you, so I forbid David to tell you. I'm sorry, Emma. I wanted what was best for you. But, I didn't think you wanted Hook, all this time I refused to believe you held any interest in him. I wanted Neal to be your happy ending because my first love was my true love. David and I had a horrible fight just this morning, David got so angry with me. At how blind I've been."

Emma smiled at how guilty her mother looked. "It's ok. There's nothing to be done anyway." Hook was gone.

"Actually," Mary Margaret said, that hopeful smile that Emma had come to love and hate at the same time bloomed on her mother's face. "You're wrong."

She grabbed the paper bag next to her, took a wooden box out to lay it on the counter. Now, her smile was wide, her tone perking up as Emma stared the box in puzzlement. "Open it."

A pair of silver slippers was tucked with in, sparkling merrily. "Now you can go to him."

Emma closed the box with a loud clatter. She had been hurting but resigned. Now she was hurting but terrified. It was easier to be resigned. Easier to wait for the time that she longer thought of him everyday. For the day the pain would settle into a scar that would only pain her irregularly.

"I can't. I mean, what am I suppose to say to him? Hello gain, want to move to Storybrook so we can date?"

"Don't be a ninny, Emma. You tell him you love him. You tell him you've missed him. Then you kiss him. That's the way it usually goes."

"Usually and me don't get along."

Mary Margaret straightened. "Emma Swan, stop being a coward. No daughter of mine is going to run away from her happy ending."

"You think he's my happy ending? You don't even like him."

"I think happy endings are hard work. I don't know if that slimy pirate is going to make you happy. All I know is that his absence makes you unhappy. And when you're unhappy your father and I are unhappy. You're ruining our happy ending, sweetie pie."

Emma laughed, more to appease her mother than anything else. "What if he's moved on?"

"You'll have to take a leap of faith."

Emma startled at her mother's words. Could she do it? More than once she had been tempted to look in on him, the way Regina had taught her. But she never had, too scared to glimpse him being happy, being with someone else. Now she had the opportunity to go, and see for herself.

She missed him so much. Tears that she had been holding back since she had said goodbye to him finally spilled. She missed his stupid puppy eyes, and his wickedly smirking lips. She even missed his innuendos. Most of all she missed having his unwavering support. Emma knew she could count on him for anything and everything.

She opened the box again, touched the slippers, feeling the magic in them. Fearing them. "I love him," she admitted for the very first time. "I love him." She gathered strength from her admission, feeling a surge of power at it.

"I know." Mary Margaret brought her close. Kissed her forehead. "Go get him."

"What did Gold ask for the slippers?" Knowing the dark one wouldn't give out something this valuable for nothing in return.

"Nothing. I asked Belle for them. No more procrastinating, Emma," her mother said perkily. "Ruby, the check please. My daughter's about to go on a quest for true love!"

* * *

She wasn't hyperventilating. Yet. Emma put the shoes on, feeling them adjust to her size. Her audience, Regina, Robin, Henry, Roland, Ruby, Mary Margaret ad David were giving her varying signs of encouragement. David, holding her baby sister, was giving her a soft smile, and Mary Margaret kept giving her two thumbs up. Regina looked impatient but managed a sardonic eyebrow, and Robin looked amused. Her son was shining with pride.

That's what she focused on. Henry's face. She clicked the heels once. Gulped. Clicked them again. "I can't do this."

Henry went to her. "We'll do it, together." He turned to look at Regina. "Can I mom?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Very well, you may accompany her. Swan, you should be ashamed of yourself."

"Says the woman whose own true love almost died before admitting your feelings for him," Emma shot back.

"No fighting. This is a happy moment." Mary Margaret used her school teacher voice to settle everyone down.

"Come on mom," Henry said, grabbing her hand, squeezing hard. "He's waiting for us."

Emma tried to smile down at him, but she feared it came out twisted and terrified, but Henry's smile shone through her tears. With a sob, she clicked the heels three times in fast succession, thinking of Hook and how much she missed him.

Everything blurred, and she struggled to hold on to Henry's hand. She started panicking when they hit water and it become impossible to hold onto him. Emma sputtered to the surface, searching for Henry.

"I'm ok, mom."

She swam over to him, finally noticing the ship alongside them. The _Jolly_ _Roger_. Even with the cold water freezing them to their bones, Henry managed a triumphant smile. Emma smiled back, treading water, her shoes magically still on. "Hook!" She called out. "Help!"

The crew aboard the ship was already shouting orders to retrieve them from the water. They were pulled up with nests and plopped like tuna on the deck.

"Oh, sorry, miss, you can never be too careful around these seas. You could have been any sort of dangerous creature," a crew member apologized, once he had ascertained that she and Henry were not dangerous.

"What's all this commotion about?"

Hook walked over with Smee by his side. He was wearing black pants, and a white shirt, a long blue jacket buttoned up to the throat and reaching pass his knees. It was a uniform. His face was clean shaven, making him look almost too pretty. The hook was the same, and so were his blue eyes that widened in concern once he spotted them sitting on his deck, wet and shivering.

"Lad, are you hurt?" He went to his knees in front of them.

He went to Henry first, and if Emma hadn't loved him before, she would have fallen in love all over again. He ran his hand over her boy, making sure, even as Henry replied that he was fine.

"Swan?"

Then his anxious eyes focused on her, worry etched into every line of his unblinking stare. How can a pirate, a villain, look so completely open? Weren't they supposed to be bloody cutthroats that showed no emotion? It scared her, the emotion in his eyes, and what he could tell her with only one look.

She felt another sob rising in her throat. He looked different. Changed. Before she started crying she fisted her hand, punching him solidly on the shoulder. Taken by surprise, he tumbled backwards, catching himself before he fell completely on his ass.

"Yes, well, I can see you're in top form, as always." He made a face, part displeased, part admiration. "At least you refrained from breaking my nose."

"And thank you for that, lass, twould be a shame to have our Captain's pretty face marred in such a way!" One of the crews members guffawed, followed by many others. Hook shot them all a look that quieted them instantly.

Henry grabbed his arm, helped him up while shooting her an evil glare. "My mom has a tendency to lash out when she's hurting. She'll be sorry about it later."

"Thank you, lad." He ruffled Henry's hair, an action he had formed a habit of doing. But Henry had other ideas, and he hugged Hook by the waist, holding him tight. Hook squeezed him back hard too, closing his eyes as if in pain. "Let's get you some dry clothes."

He offered her hand to help her up. Emma, was still debating whether to punch him again or not.

"Mom!" Henry chastised.

She took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. "You alright there, Swan?"

She nodded.

"Smee, take the young sir. Make sure he's warm and dry and then if he wants let him have a go at the wheel."

Smee led a smiling Henry away.

Hook took her to his cabin, closing the door firmly behind him. "What's wrong, love? What's happened in Storybrook? Is it your parents?"

"No, there's nothing wrong. My parents are fine and Storybrook is idyllic. Everything is fine."

He handed a shirt and a cloth to dry herself. "Then what is it?" He turned around to give her privacy. "Why are you here?" The concern was obvious and it broke her heart to have him think she had sought him for his help only.

Emma was still shivering, from the cold or from fear she didn't know. "Everything is perfect. There have been no more curses, or villains, and Regina and Gold have really mellowed out." She felt a sob building up. When had she turned into such a crier?

"Emma?"

"That's just it. Everything is perfect, except it isn't, because you're not there."

He turned his head, his expression shocked. How could he be surprised? How? When she loved him so much it hurt. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling vulnerable. Was she really this person? A person who was so hard to read not even the man she loved had an idea how much he meant to her? It was no wonder he chose to stay.

He turned fully toward her. "As much as I enjoy what the cold and wet are doing to your blouse, I'd rather you not catch a chill."

It was such a Hook thing to say that it instantly brought forth a chocked laugh from her.

Hook walked over to her, a bit of the scoundrel still stamped on his clean cut face. "Let me," he whispered.

He lifted her sopping blouse up with his hook and his hand. Next he removed her heels, placing them carefully on the floor next to his bed. He unbuttoned her jeans one-handed, more deftly that she could have imagined and pulled them down. Emma grabbed onto his shoulders as he squatted to help her step out of the wet denim. He shot her bra a puzzled look. He pulled at a strap with a hook, evidently not knowing what to do with the strange contraption. Emma helped him out by reaching behind her to snap her bra. The cups fell forward, and he did the rest by removing it with his hook.

He gazed at it in wonder as it hung by a strap on his hook before plopping it on the floor with the growing pile of her clothes. His fingers reached between her stomach and the waist of her panties. He asked permission with his eyes and she granted it. He pulled them down slowly, making her lean back onto his bed to remove them completely. His heavy lidded eyes looked at her softly, but he made no comment. Emma licked her lips, a blush covering her face and neck.

Didn't pirates ravish? Shouldn't he be occupied trying to ravish her instead of looking at her as if he thought she was a mirage. His gaze was reverent, and she kept expecting him to smile at her with that glint of his eye, and say something that would make her roll her eyes.

Emma looked down at his hand, noting his rings were missing. "So, you've reformed."

"Aye. Philip was in need of an expert sailor and I was in need of a source of income that didn't involve stolen booty." He dried her body carefully with the cloth. Once he was satisfied she was dried, she wrapped her hair another cloth to wring it out.

Emma was a bit disappointed when he grabbed the shirt and pulled it over her shoulders. He got her a blanket too, bundling her up into a safe cocoon.

"The uniform is kinda girly." She said surly, only her face showing from beneath the think blankets.

"Miss the pirate wardrobe, do you?"

Emma huffed. She had been picturing in the black leather get up. Honestly, it gave her the most delicious tingles. She missed his gaudy rings too, the gratuitous display of chest hair and the scruff on his face. This man that stood before her, was a bit of stranger.

He rubbed his arm up and down her shoulders, trying to warm her up further. "Love, don't tell me you've come back for this old pirate."

"Yes, I, _we_, came back for you."

He shook his head, but before he could say anything, she told him, "I love you. I miss you." Then she grabbed the lapels of his jacket, much as she had done before in Neverland, to kiss him.

He sank into her kiss with a sigh. It was a languorous kiss, the antithesis of the Neverland kiss. She missed the scruff, Emma thought, as she nipped his bottom lip. She missed the burn of it.

"The question is whether you still want us."

"Of course I still want you, but-"

"No buts," Emma said, taking his hand to bring up to her face, nuzzling with it. "It's a yes or no question."

He smiled, his heavy lidded eyes gazing at her lovingly. "Yes."

She smiled back at him in relief. "Good."

His hand went back to his ear in that ridiculously endearing way of his. "Emma, love, I'm no good for you or your boy. I tried and I failed to be hero. I'll probably fail again."

"You should have thought of that before you made us fall in love with you. Before you squeezed yourself into our lives. Who wants a hero anyway? David is a hero, and though he's adorable and my dad, he's boring."

Hook chuckled. "You say that because you've yet to see him in his cups." He looked down. "Emma, the things I've done, you don't even know the half of them. What I did to Ariel is just a drop in the bucket. I-"

"I don't care. I told you. I care about the way your eyes soften when you look at my son. I care that you protected him. I care that you're friends with David. I care that you stuck with me till the very end. That's what matters to me. I don't want to look to the past anymore. Come back with us. I know the Enchanted Forest is your home-"

"You're my home, Emma Swan."

"That's a yes?"

"Aye."

"That was easier than I thought." The rock that had been lodged in her stomach dissolved. She embraced him, bringing the blanket over both them.

"What would make you think I'd refuse you? Don't pretend you don't know you could lead me about the nose with no complain from me."

"I had complete faith in you, until you said goodbye to me. Why did you stay?" Emma asked. Her voice was soft, the hurt evident.

"Why did you let me?" He rasped out, also hurting from the memory of their goodbye.

"We have to work on our communication skills," Emma joked, with a sad smile.

"We can work on anything you want to, lass." He dug in for another kiss, only to stop short. "How did you get the Crocodile to let you have the shoes?" Hook asked, "Please tell me you didn't bargain for them with our first born."

Emma shook her head; the words 'our first born' not registering on her scary radar. "Mary Margaret acquired them for me."

"Your Mum?" His eyebrow rose, and unable to help herself, she brought his head down to kiss it.

"Hmm."

"She hates me."

"She doesn't like you. Mary Margaret doesn't hate anyone." Emma, kissed his cheek, his jaw. "You really need to grow out your scruff."

"Swan, you're telling me that I have Snow White's blessing?"

"Yes, now focus," she said, kissing him.

"I've either sunk to a new low or risen to a new high."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, pirate. You might want to cut back on the lewd comments and innuendos. At least around her."

"Don't fret, darling, I managed to charm you, didn't I? You're a much tougher nut to crack than your mother."

Heavy thumping on the door stopped her rejoinder. "Mom! Mom! Killian! I just saw mermaids! Real life mermaids! Come and see them. Hurry before they're gone."

Hook kissed her nose before telling the boy to enter the cabin. Henry grabbed both of them by the hand to drag them out to look at the mermaids. His excitement was contagious and soon, Emma was laughing alongside him. Hook put his arms around her after taking off his coat to place it around Henry's shoulders.

"How long are we staying?" Henry asked, mesmerized by the mermaids.

"As long as it takes for Hook to settle his affairs."

"We can leave immediately , Swan. Phillip will surely understand. I have a capable crew-" Hook stopped at Henry's pointed look. "Then again, this is an important mission. A lengthy one. Might take months. I'm turning a new leaf, can't very well just abandon my newfound principles, even for you, love."

Emma looked down at her son and then at Hook. They were both giving her their best innocent look. "How long do you really need?"

"Two months."

Emma raised her eyebrow.

"One month?"

"Mom!" Henry complained once she shot that down too.

"You know what your grandfather said. The slippers are too powerful to be used as a plaything. We can't risk them falling into the wrong hands."

"A fortnight should be enough time to show the lad some sights. I'm sure you can keep the slippers safe for that time, Savior."

"Please, Mom, Please."

"Come on, Swan, what's the harm?"

"Your other mother is going to kill me," Emma said in defeat. Hook smiled widely at her, picked her up to plant a kiss on her.

"YES!"

* * *

They didn't make it to the two weeks. Henry had the time of his life, and frankly, so had Emma. But as fun as it had been, she had started to miss her family. Henry had come forward one evening, six days into their stay to tell her that he was sorry, that he knew she was happy with Hook, but he really missed Regina, and could they please go, like now, before Regina completely replaced him with Roland.

As soon as they arrived in Storybrook, Henry took off running to Granny's. Emma and Hook took a more leisurely pace, walking hand in hand behind him. Hook's stubble was coming back nicely and he had forgone buttoning the top two buttons of his shirt. It was good to see the pirate peeking from beneath his conservative clothes.

It didn't take very long for Henry to reach Granny's, nor for her parents to come out to greet her. Soon she was enveloped in both her parents embrace. "We've missed you so much," David said, kissing the top of her head.

"Oh, Emma, you're glowing!" Mary Margaret looked at her with wonder, smiling softly.

David and Hook greeted each other with a manly hug, completely with backslapping. Then Hook turned to Mary Margaret, and bowed to her in a graceful and intricate manner. "My Lady," he said, taking her hand and planting a kiss on it.

Delighted, Mary Margaret giggled.

"Ease up there, Romeo," Regina called out. Robin was at her side, Roland on his shoulders. Henry was holding Regina's hand, and carrying his Aunt.

"Good to see you, as well, Regina."

"Welcome back," Robin said, nodding at them.

This was her happy ending, Emma thought, as she looked at the people gathered around her. Her family. She reached for Hook's hand, smiling when it was given swiftly. "Let's go home."

"As you wish."

The End


End file.
